THE UMBRELLA PLAYS Wanderlust Theatre Productions Bakehouse Theatre Until 27 Feb 2016 Review by Kylie Pedler The small ensemble – Adam Tuominen, James Sherwin, Matt Houston, Rosie Williams, Timisha Ward, David Salter, Joshua Coldwell, Maxim Bevan and Tamara Bennetts – each portray multiple roles in a collection of short plays, cleverly written with good comic insight by Cerise De Gelder and ambiguously linked by an umbrella. However, as the stories unfold it becomes clear that the characters and relationships are actually intertwined. Director Kelly Mildenhall’s overarching concept purposefully places all actors onstage throughout as they scavenge amongst the campsite to find props and costumes and ensures the smooth transition of the stories. The opening scene triumphs with high impact as a cab driver (Salter) and his two passengers (Williams and Tuominen) hang on the edge of a cliff. Then there are eccentric characters. Relationships that hilariously tumble down one lie at a time. Awkward first conversations, and childhood interpretations of adult terminology. And don’t forget the dangerous possibilities of garbage revelation. (Ward deserves a special mention for this scene!) One laugh follows another, and the hour passes quickly. The show highlight, however, is the unconscious Bennetts, “The Interpreter”, unravelling a couples’ hidden messages within their conversation. Hilarious and worth the ticket price alone. Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)